Family adapts one-bedroom apartment into functional home

Khrystyne and Nic Jaspers have transformed their 750-square-foot one-bedroom apartment in Washington Heights, New York, into a cozy home for their family of four. The couple moved from a smaller space of less than 500 square feet and found the $380,000 apartment to be an ideal fit despite its compact size.

“We instantly fell in love with it,” Khrystyne Jaspers said in a YouTube video shared by Apartment Therapy. “We started thinking how could we make it work for our soon-to-be family of four.”

Both Khrystyne and Nic work in education, and they embarked on converting the small space into a comfortable living area for themselves and their children, Zeke and Taliyah. They utilized various space-saving techniques to maximize the potential of their home.

“The biggest hurdle was going to be deciding where everyone was going to sleep,” said Khrystyne. “From the very beginning, I knew we were going to have to do a Murphy bed.”

The Jaspers decided that giving up the sole bedroom for their children while they slept in the living room was the best solution. This arrangement allowed them to maintain a peaceful environment without disrupting their children's sleeping schedules.

“When we go to bed, we need a space where we could close the door and have it be quiet and we could still go about our lives and clean and talk and hang out,” she explained.

By day, when the Murphy bed is stored away, they utilize every inch of space by dividing the main room into quadrants designated for dining, office work, family activities, sleeping, and entertainment.

“Creating those different quadrants helped the room flow and make sense,” Khrystyne shared.

A piano occupies significant space but holds sentimental value as both Khrystyne's father played piano, which she wants her children to learn as well. The leather pouf serves dual purposes as seating and storage for winter clothes.

“I recently got this pouf...it’s kind of amazing because it has all our extra coats and blankets," she noted.

In designing their children's bedroom—the second-largest room—they prioritized floor space for play activities such as using Legos or building blocks. Bunk beds provide additional storage underneath while open bookshelves house both children's books at lower levels accessible by them easily alongside adult reads higher up; dresser drawers keep clothing organized neatly too!

Bunk beds are essential in small spaces.(Apartment Therapy)

Storage underneath leaves more room in small closets.(Apartment Therapy)

Lots of floor space is prioritized when you have young children.(Apartment Therapy)

Drawers for kids' items alongside open shelving ensure tidiness throughout! (Apartment Therapy)

Kitchen/bathroom areas feature open shelving/baskets aiding organization; galley-style kitchen feels spacious due largely thanks light streaming through windows thereon extended further via homework/snack/crafts bar running along wall above which cups hang suspended elegantly too!

“A healthy home...is knowing what brings you joy & making space accordingly," summed up succinctly thusly: "find what matters most first then let brain guide ways toward achieving possibilities regardless dimensions involved therein!" advised wisely indeed!